Electric imitation fire



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ELECTRIC IMITATION FIRE Filed March 2, 1932 m/ VEN TOR TTOR NE) PatentedMar. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES HERBERT HENRY BERRY, OF LONDON, ENGLANDELECTRIC IMITATION FIRE Application filed March 2, 1932, Serial No.596,387, and in Great Britain April 23, 1981.

This invention relates to artificial fires and has more particularreference to the construction of artificial fuel elements and theirdispositioning relatively to each other and relatively to the means forilluminating them, for the purpose of providing an imitation coal and/orlog fire in which is realistically simulated the glowing craters orhollows occurring in a natural coal and/or log fire owing to the burningaway of the coal or logs comprising the fire.

The primary object of the invention consists in the provision at thefront of an artificialfire of a piece of translucent fuel-simulatingmaterial and the provision rearwardly of and spaced from this frontpiece a second piece of fuel-simulating material. Means are provided forilluminating these pieces which are so treated that when illuminatedthey appear to be lumps of coal, wood or other fuel in states of glowingcombustion. Hence,- the space between the pieces appears, when viewedfromthe front, to comprise a hollow or crater with glowing walls.

The illuminating means for the fuel element at the front of the fire isarranged internally of the said element; and the fuel element at therear of the fire may be externally illuminated by light from this meansand/ or by other means located externally or internally of this rearwardfuel element. If the said means is located internally 0f the rearwardfuel element it is necessary that the said element be translucent.

The material of which the translucent fuel elements are made may be ofanysuitable kind for example reasonably stout paper, parchment,parchment paper, or other suitable translucent cellulosic or fibrousmaterial with or without a reinforcing backing such as canvas, stoutmuslin, or coarse-mesh gauze of wire and the like. The said fuelelements may in some cases be made of vitreous material suitablytreated. It is essential that the fuel element at the front of the firebe of translucent material because it' is internally illuminated but therearward piece may be opaque or translucent. v

A further ob'ect of the invention is the provision in. an electric fireof heat reflecting surfaces forming or apparently forming parts of fuelelements at the back of the fire. These surfaces are treated to simulateburning fuel, ash etc.,and are used in conjunction with a heatingelement with respect to which they are so shaped and arranged that theyreflect heat from the elements or from reflectors adjacent the elementsand throw the heat forwardly into the apartment where the fire is beingused.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of anelectric fire in which the above fuelelements are mounted in or upon thegrate or fireplace so as to be movable therewith.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electric firecontaining heating elements and the above fuel elements constructed andarranged to be dependently movable.

The above and other objects of the invention will be clear from thefollowing description. taken in'conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing and the claims.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a fire grate containing the imitation fuel; I

Fig. 2 is a side view in vertical section of the said grate and fuel;and

Fig. 3 is a side view in vertical section of an electric imitation fireand radiator containing in the grate part thereof fuel in accordancewith the present invention.

In these examples the front part of the grate 1 contains shells 2 oftranslucent material treated to simulate burning coal fuel when lamps 3with flicker devices are in use. The shells 2 are preferably open attheir backs at 4 so that light from the lamps and flicker devices passesdirectly to the front faces of shells, blocks or other suitable bodies5. The bodies 5 are arranged at the back part of the grate and in spacedrelation to and extending higher than the shells 4. The faces of thebodies 5 are treated to simulate pieces of glowing coal when illuminatedby the lamps and, in conjunction with the translucent front pieces 2,create a highly realistic appearance of a glowing coal fire with hollowsbetween the pieces of fuel, the walls of the hollows being in states ofglowing combustion.

The shells 2 may have small irregular openings such as 6 for the purposeof giving spark-like appearances. The lamps may be coloured and parts,preferably the lower parts, of the pieces 2 and 5 simulate ash material.The bodies 5 may be translucent in which event they may be illuminatedby redirect the heat forwardly of the grate.

The fuel instead of simulate logs. V

W hat I claim is simulating coal may 1. In an electric artificial fire,a piece'of translucent fuel simulating material at the front of thefire, a second piece of fuel simulating material arranged in rear of andspaced from the said translucent material, an electric lamp forilluminating the rear of the translucent material and the front of the asecond piece'of material, whereby the said pieces of material appear toglow and give to the space betweenthem. the appearance of a hollow withglowing sides.

2. In combinationin an artificial fire, a

piece of translucent fuel simulating material at the front, a secondpiece of fuel simulating material in-rear' of and spaced from saidfirst" mentioned piece ofmaterial, means for illuminating the rear ofthefirst mentioned piece of material, and means for illuminating thefront of the second mentioned piece of fuel simulating material wherebythe space between them has the appearance of a hollow with glowingsides. V

3. In combination in, an artificial fire, a

piece oftranslucent fuel simulating material at the front, a: secondpiece of fuel simulating-'material in rear of the first mentioned pieceand spaced therefrom, the second piece of fuel simulating materialextending high er than ,jthe'firstmentioned piece of material, and anelectric lamp arranged to illuminate the rear of the first mentionedpiece of mate: rial and the front of the second pieceof material, to,thereby impart to the said pieces of material the appearance of being ina state ofglowing combustion. v

4; In combination in an artificial fire, a

piece of translucent fuelsimulating material at the front, a secondpiece of fuel simulating material at the rear, said pieces of'niaterialbeingspaced apart to simulate ahollow between them when viewed from thefront of the fire, and an electric lamp arranged between the said piecesof material so as to illuminate the rear of the first mentioned pieceand the front of the second mentioned piece of material, to therebyimpart a glowing simulation to the sides of the visible h0llow definedby the spacing of the respective pieces. I

5.. In combination in an electric fire, a piece of fuel simulatingmaterial, an electric lampfor illuminating the piece of fuel from thefront, a screen for the said illuminating means com risin a shell .oftranslucent fuel simulating material arranged in front of and. 8O

illuminated by the said lamp, the screen and the first mentioned pieceof fuel simulating material being treated to simulate glowing combustionwhen illuminated; v 6. In anartificial fire, a shell of translucent fuelsimulatingmateria'l at the front, said shell heing open at its rear, asecond piece of fuel simulating material at the rear and spaced from thefirst mentioned pieceof fuel simulating 'material, an electric lamp ar.ranged within the first mentioned piece of fuel simulating material forilluminating both said. pieces, the illumination being di.

rected to the interior of the first mentioned piece of material andtheexterior of the second mentioned piece of material, the said pieces ofmaterial being treated'to a glow under illumination. V

7. In a-artificial fire, a piece of translucent simulate fuel simulatingmaterial at the front, a second piece of fuel simulating materialarranged in rear of the first mentioned piece of mate-. rial, saidsecond piece of material being spaced from and exten'dingabove the firstmentioned piece .of material, a heating element abov-e the reflector,and electric lamps for illuminating the said piecesv and for directingsaid illumination to the rear of the first mentioned piece of-materialand to the front of the secondmentioned piece of mate rial, therespective pieces of material being spaced apart to simulate a hollowwhen Viewed from the front of'the fire. V i

8. In an artificial fire, a piece of translucent fuel simulatingmaterial at the front, a second piece of fuelsimulatingmaterial arrangedin rear ofthe first mentioned piece of material, said second piece 'of'materialbeing spaced from and extending above the first mentioned pieceof material, a heatingele ment above the reflector, electric lamps forilluminating the said pieces and for directing said illumination to therear of' the first mentioned piece of material and to the front. of thesecond mentioned piece of material,

the respective-pieces of material being spaced apart to simulate ahollow when viewed-from the front of the fire, a reflector at the upperpart of the second piece of material, and a heating'element above thereflector. i 9. An artificial fire employing imitation fuel and anelectric lamp for illuminating the fuel, wherein a piece of translucentimitation fuel is arranged in front of the fire and a second piece ofimitation fuel is arranged at the back of the fire and in spacedrelation to the said translucent imitation fuel, with an electric lampbehind the said translucent fuel and in front of the imitation fuel atthe back of the fire so as to illuminate the translucent fuel frombehind it and to illuminate the front of the imitation fuel which isarranged at the back of the fire.

10. In a electric artificial fire, fuel simulat ing pieces relativelydisposed to indicate a hollow when viewed from the front of the fire,with said hollow defined by the rear wall of one piece and the frontwall of the next rearwardly adjacent piece, and means for illuminatingthe rear wall of the front piece and the forward wall of the rearwardadjacent piece to illuminate the hollow and simulate combustion glowtherein.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERBERT HENRY BERRY.

